Unique partnership opening doors for many
Northridge Local Schools, like school districts all across the Miami Valley, are building successful partnerships with business and industry in an effort to better prepare students for a successful life after graduation.
One such partnership has given Northridge students the opportunity to learn valuable job skills while also earning a certificate that opens doors to career opportunities right out of high school.
In 2017, the Northridge Local Schools began a unique and powerful partnership with IUECWA (International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers - Communications Workers of America), which provided a pathway for Northridge High School students to earn an MSSC certification while still in school.
The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) is an industry-led training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s front-line production and material handling workers. The nationwide MSSC System, based upon industry-defined and federally endorsed standards, offers both entrylevel and incumbent workers the opportunity to demonstrate their acquisition of the skills increasingly needed in the technology-intensive jobs of the 21st century.
The IUE-CWA are not only covering the costs for Northridge students to receive the MSSC training, but have purchased laptops for the Advanced Manufacturing classroom that students are able to keep once they successfully complete the program. The manufacturing coursework is based on a blended learning model with both an online component (facilitated by Northridge Local Schools faculty) and a face-to-face classroom component.
Dave Cash, a 20-year veteran within the manufacturing industry, teaches the faceto-face instructional component of the program. Cash has specialized in production control, scheduling and quality tech, while spending time as a machine job setter/operator and a lean team facilitator. Cash explains that this partnership provides a comprehensive, foundational level program covering safety, quality practices and measurements, manufacturing processes and production and maintenance awareness.
It leads to a nationally recognized, portable certification that is a great jump start to a career in manufacturing or a pathway to higher education with a specialized track to journeyman trades, manufacturing management or engineering.
“Our partnership with Northridge High School is creating a pipeline from our schools into well-paying manufacturing jobs,” IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrew said. “Employers win because they hire students who have the drive and aptitude to be successful in highly skilled manufacturing jobs. Students win because they get training that ensures they make a living wage.”
Students involved in the Northridge High School Advanced Manufacturing Class have participated in National Manufacturing Day activities, the Construction Careers Expo, the Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) Capital Conference Student Achievement Fair, a one-day welding workshop at the Hobart Institute of Welding and numerous business and industry tours, while receiving special recognition by the OSBA SW Region as one of three “Outstanding New Student Programs” as well.
Recently, this Northridge partnership has expanded, giving students the opportunity to participate in a pre-apprenticeship while earning their MSSC certification. In fact, on February 11, four Northridge High School students began a pre-apprenticeship at DuraMAX Diesel Engines as part of this outstanding program. In all, about 50 Northridge students have taken part in the manufacturing partnership and we are currently recruiting students from the Northridge Class of 2022 who are interested in a manufacturing-based career pathway.
On behalf of the Northridge students, staff, administration and Board of Education, I want to personally thank IUE-CWA for their amazing partnership and ongoing support. Together we are opening doors that lead to successful outcomes for Northridge students! We look forward to the journey ahead.